Last week, the U.S. watched in horror as news spread of a collision in Washington, D.C., between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, marking the deadliest air disaster in over 40 years.
On Monday, a little less than a week later, crews were set to begin removing parts of the passenger jet and helicopter from the Potomac River. Officials told reporters with USA Today that the debris from the passenger jet will be the initial focus of removal efforts, an estimated three-day-long task. After that, the team will focus on debris from the Black Hawk helicopter.
As of Monday, at least 55 people killed in the crash were identified. About 28 of the 67 people killed in the crash were members of the figure skating community who were returning from a development camp for skaters in Wichita following the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating national championships. Those on the plane included parents, coaches and athletes, some of whom were as young as 11 years old.
Families and loved ones created a makeshift memorial near the airport that included photos of the deceased, stuffed animals and flowers.
The National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation. Black box devices from both aircrafts were recovered by NTSB officials. These devices hold crucial data such as internal communications and the aircraft’s altitude.
Officials believe the helicopter was traveling above 200 feet, which is the “maximum altitude for the route it was using,” according to USA Today. The helicopter was doing routine training to practice in case the U.S. comes under attack and senior officials would need to be evacuated. The American Airlines passenger jet, Flight 5342, had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was attempting to land at Regan National Airport when the collision happened.
Five people were allegedly in the air traffic control tower at Regan National Airport the night of the crash. This group included an operations supervisor and an operations supervisor-in-training. NTSB said the agency believes that the air traffic control tower directed the Black Hawk helicopter to “pass behind the plane” just before 9 p.m. and there was a “verbal reaction” from the plane crew. Data collected shows the plane increased in pitch just before impact.
A preliminary report is expected within 30 days, officials said.
Commercial air travel data from the National Safety Council – which accounts for the dramatic impact that the pandemic had on the industry in 2020 – shows that commercial air travel is among the safest modes of transportation today.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a Florida personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience operating out of Central Florida, Miami and Key West. The firm’s attorneys have secured multiple record verdicts and settlements for injured clients throughout the state, earning it national recognition. The firm has handled cases such as devastating car accidents, product liability claims and cases involving injuries stemming from a cruise line’s negligence, delivering expert legal guidance with the aim of achieving the maximum compensation available to clients.
In the past, the firm has handled aviation cases in which clients were injured due to mechanical failure, defective products from airplane manufacturers, pilot of other employee error, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic controller errors. Leesfield & Partners has decades of experience handling aviation cases, a practice area of personal injury law that requires specialized knowledge of aviation law and meticulous investigative skills. The firm has previously represented passengers, pilots and innocent bystanders injured or killed due to the negligence of corporations and individuals alike.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners previously handled an aviation case in which a 30-year-old co-pilot was killed in a crash due to an issue with the plane’s controls that went unnoticed during pre-flight checks.
The firm secured a $10 million recovery for the co-pilot’s family.
In another aviation case, the firm obtained over $8.5 million for the family.
In a devastating aviation case that resulted in the death of our client’s loved one, Leesfield & partners secured $5.4 million.
Ira Leesfield, Leesfield & Partners’ Founder and Managing Partner, along with Mark A. Sylvester represented the family of a pilot after he and his mother were killed in a single-engine airplane crash. The lawsuit was filed against the plane manufacturer, a service facility and the FAA. In this case, FAA air traffic controllers failed to provide important weather information to the pilot, resulting in the crash amid a severe weather event.
The firm obtained a $2,850,000 settlement in that case.
In a crash involving a helicopter, Leesfield & Partners secured a $1.9 million recovery amount.
The firm also obtained over $1.8 million for a grieving family following a fatal crash.
In an aviation case involving a plane manufacturer, Leesfield & partners secured $630,000 for an injured client.
A Leesfield & Partners case that did not involve a crash but took place on an airplane resulted in life-long scaring to a child who was traveling as an unaccompanied minor. The airline’s employees were meant to be watching over the child but did not. This paved the way for a sick, adult passenger to sexually abuse the child during the flight unbeknownst to flight attendants.
A confidential settlement was obtained by the firm in that case.